Bird-hit forces Jet Airways flight to return to Mumbai

Following the strike, the flight was delayed by over four hours.

Mumbai, May 12: A "suspected" bird hit forced a Jet Airways flight to return shortly after it took off from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here on Friday morning.

The aircraft landed safely and all 180 passengers and eight crew members have also been deplaned, a spokesperson said.

The incident occurred around 8.15 a.m. on the Mumbai-Bangkok flight 9W-70 when the crew executed an air-turn following the suspected hit on the tail of the aircraft.

The aircraft is currently being examined by the Jet Airways engineering team and ground personnel.

Following the strike, the flight has been delayed by over four hours and is rescheduled to depart at 12.45 p.m. to reach Bangkok around 6.25 p.m., the spokesperson said.

In April 12, this year, about 150 passengers of a Jet Airways flight were stranded at the Varanasi airport after a bird hit the flight while taking off. The passengers who had to fly to other countries from New Delhi were also among those stranded at the airport.

IANS